LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. 



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UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 



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TWEQTYIMIIESSTO^THE^I^HOIISE 



-IN ALL- 



CROPS, ENOUGH. 



"Feed thy farm ancl tliy farm will feed tbee."' 



BY 

J. ROMULifS CLIJfE, 
CATAWBA, N. C. 



Printed at tlie Enterprise Job Office, Newtun, N. C. 



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Copyright, 1889, 

BY 

J. IIOMULTJS CLINE. 

All Rjo-hts Reserved. 



PEWE^ M^ES 



-WITH A- 



SYSTEM OF IMPROVEMENT 



-OR- 



TWBI]TY mum TO THE H0^2E 



-IN ALL- 



t/ CROPS, ENOUGH. 



:h;t 141889 0.'^' 

BY ^ "- '''"'^'" 



J. ROMULUS CLIJVS, 
CATAWBA, N. C. 



Enterprise Job Office Print, Newtun, Nortli Carolina. 



PREFACE. 

Knowing the tenacity of the average southern farm- 
er to stick to "daddy's old ruts" regardless of conse- 
quences and in many cases even his own convictions, 
before entering on the subject proper of this little work, 
1 deem it necessary that I may show him the folly of 
such a course, and the more effectually convince hhn of 
the error of his ways, and thereby induce him to pull 
out and establish a system tending toward the perma- 
nent improvement of the soil, to devote a few pages of 
this work to a brief rehearsal of our condition as a class, 
and establishment of its cause, if perhapse I may be able. 






Our Condition— Its Cause. 



That the condition of the southern farmer as a class 
is bad, and from some cause is fast ^rowin^- from bad 
to worse, needs no argument to estabhsh; but is fully 
evidenced by the thousands of care worn, haggard look- 
ing farmers all over the land, with their impoverished 
and gully washed farms and their dilapidated rickety 
buildings standing as monuments indicating adversity 
and oppression. With debts hanging over them of 
which in their honest efforts to relieve themselves, each 
year only finds them more deeply involved. 

While there are individual farms and farmers, and 
even sections of country here and there to which this 
condition in its worst form does not apply, (and wher- 
ever so, note the system) yet that it does apply to the 
masses is a fact that cannot be successfully disputed, 
and one too that calls for the most serious considera- 
tion and deepest thought of every tiller of the soil. 

As a rule there is no better ijidex to the condition of 
any people than their immediate surroundings — their 
homes. 

Compare the homes of farmers with those of other 
classes. To do this, pass through the country and into 
the town or city. Note the difference in their homes and 
then settle with yourself the question— why this great 
disparity? 

This is an age of improvement ; and in order to suc- 
cess each avocation must move apace with the others if 
it would prosper. Let us go back ten years. Think of 
every other business. The successful merchant has 
doubled his stock; the manufacturer has added improved 
machinery and doubled his cai)acity; factories ofvarious 
kinds have gone up in our midst; railroads are being 



FEWER ACRES, WITH A SYSTEM OF IMPROVEMENT. 



built; steam has taken the place of horse power in 
almost every thing ; improved agricultural machinery is 
scattered all over the country — drills, reapers, mowers, 
rakes, double, tripple, quadruple, and even sextuple 
sulky plows, sulky turn plows, revolving harrows, and 
every variety of improved tools with which one man 
and horse can perform the work that required two to 
perform ten or fifteen years ago, and yet with all these 
advantages we have not prospered, we have retrograded. 

Is it not strange? And is it not still more strange 
that in this progressive age, dating as it were with the 
very introduction ol these improved tools— ten or fifteen 
years ago — that instead of advancing our retrogression 
has been so rapid and marked, and that with their use 
we have struck bottom as it were so soon ? Look back 
and take things as they are. Does it not seem that 
they have helped us down the slick road? For does our 
condition show an^^ advantage from their use? If so, 
where is it? If not so let us find the cause. 

But before we go further let us bring up another horse 
about the same age, but blind in both eyes — commer- 
cial fertilizer. 

While I do not say that the fault has been in either 
the tools or the fertilizers, for they are each a "God 
send," and creatures of an advanced age, either of which 
hence forward we can not do without, as I will show 
further on ; but I do say that with these tools in our 
hands, a sack of fertilizer on our backs, and in our heads 
that infernal greed or disposition to own and cultivate 
many acres regardless of the fertility of the soil, we have 
drifted into a slip shod s^'stem, that has emptied our 
pockets, put us in debt and worse than all, impoverish- 
ed our farms until four times as many acres as we ought 
to, or can successfully cultivate, positively refuse to 
feed us. 

Nor is this all; many of our farms, stock, tools, etc., 
are mortgaged, here and there they are being fore- 



FEWER ACRES, WITH A SYSTEM OF IMPROVEMENT. 



closed, and the once happy landlord becomes a renter 
to the money king. 

To put it in a nutshell, we have killed the goose that 
lays the golden egg, and our condition will not — tan not 
improve until we resuscitate her — build up these run 
down farms and establish a S3'stem tending to the per- 
manent im])rovement of the soil as tlie iii-st and all- 
important thing to successful agriculture. 

Stick a pin here. But to be more explicit, let us re- 
turn to those impi'oved tools and commercial ferHlizers. 
The fact is we have never had a system of improvement. 
Our system has been to takeout and put nothing back — 
to tear down ; hence hei-i' we have alwa^'s retrograded so 
far as improvement is concerned. But in the days of the 
single shovel it was not so perceptible; for as we would 
wear out one field, another was cleared, thus using the 
original fertility of the soil. The worn fields were 
thrown out for rest or pasture, where tliey quietly ](\y 
under nature's reclaiming process, until the introduction 
of these improv^ed tools and commercial fertilizer, Avhen, 
with the advantages of the tools and the fertilizer as a. 
stimulant to lead us on, together with that greed whi(^h 
Ave naturaly possesed we expanded our wings, reclaimed 
the worn lands, cleared the forest and without system 
or regard for rotation of crops with a view to fei'tility 
of the soil, drifted into that ruinous one crop system, 
that has moved our smoke house to Chicago, our corn 
crib to Cincinnati, impoverished our farms, and is re- 
sponsible for the ills that befall us to day. 

Proof : If a system of farming is wrong with a single 
shovel, is it not doubly wrong with a double shovel? 
That is, if a single shovel will scratch twenty acres to 
death, will not a, double shovel scratch forty to death 
in the same length of time? 

I know that diversity of opinion pievails even among 
farmers themselves as to the cause of our condition : 
such as class legislation ; middle men ; commercial fertil- 



6 FEWER ACRES, WITH A SYSTEM OF IMPROVEMENT. 



izer ; what we sell too low ; what we buy too hig-h ; mo- 
nopoly of capital, etc. adin Jinitum. 

Strang to say that it never occurs to them that it is 
the non productiveness of the soil — that we cultivate 
about four acres lor what one ought to ])roduce; for 
however much these alleged causes may oppress us, and 
however much they may seem to cause our oppression, 
they are only results of the one great cause — poor land, 
and their oppression will vanish as the dew before the 
morning sun at its removal. 

For with rich farms, why need we fear any of these? 
Our cribs, smokehouses, graneries and barns, would all 
be full to overflowing; our pockets would jingle with the 
cash ; our children would be educated ; we ourselves would 
have time to post up and become better citizens, thereby 
exerting an influence to be felt even in our legislative 
halls; our legislators would become our servants instead 
of our masters ; middle men could be brought to terms 
or dispensed with altogether and that most desirable 
event accomplished — tlie ])roducer and the consumer 
brought face to face. 

Commercial iertilizers could be profitably used or dis- 
I»ensed with ; what we sell would be high enough, because 
of its abundance and cheapness of production ; what we 
buy would be low enough because we would have the 
cash with which to buy, thereby using the advantages 
of competition and buying where we jjlease. 

Last but not least, and the most to be dreaded of all 
—That king of monsters— Monopoly of capital — the 
master ot the poor, and the servant of the Devil, could 
not seriously ojjpress us in that we would have a little 
of the articles ourselves, besides being so safely ensconc- 
ed beliind the breastworks of prosperity and independ- 
ence. rUit to the subject : — 

THOSE SKIJYJVr FABMS. 

As a rule the only com})etition with the southern 
farmer has been — who can cultivate (or skin, for that is 



FEWER ACRES, WJTH A SYSTEM OF IMPROVEMENT. 7 

what has been done) the greatest number of acres. 

Many times the large ones have felt larger, and the 
small ones been made to feel smaller, when the self im- 
portant gentleman, leaning back on his dignity, and 
with thumbs hooked in the armpits of his vest would 
exclaim: ''I cultivate fifty acres or one hundred acres 
in corn, the same amount in cotton, in wheat, oats, etc. 
I pay tax on five hundred or one thousand acres, when 
at the same time this individual buys fertilizer on time, 
and the proceeds of that skinny thousand acres will not 
pay his store account in the fall. 

His only craving is all the land that joins him ; this he 
would have if he had the money to buy it, or could get 
it on easy payments. 

Yet this individual will cry trust — monopoly, when he 
is into a land trust and poor land at that— one that 
does not make himself rich, but his country poor. 

This spirit— to own many acres; this lack of enter- 
prise— investing in land because of its safety, regardless 
of the prosperity of the country, go hand in hand as the 
producing elements in the cause of our condition. Both 
are largely responsible for the slip shod system that has 
impoverished the farms, and the thousands that have 
been invested in land merely because, "It is a safe in vest- 
ment," if put into factories and machine shops, would 
have j)aid handsome dividends to the investors, and kept 
millions among us that have gone to foster the more 
enterprising people of other sections. 

But this spirit does not belong to the farmer alone; 
all classes are affected alike ; for even the merchant or 
the mechanic if, his business declares a dividend, he puts 
it into land as a "safe investment." 

The whole South is land poor. The farmers own and 
try to work too much land. While this is the case they 
will remain poor. For at this advanced age— this age 
of improvement— this age wdierein the capacity of every 
thing except our acres has been doubled, trippled, and 



8 rEWP]R ACHES, with a system of improvement. 

even quadrupled— this a^e, ^vhen evei-y tiling we use on 
the farm — clothes, shoes, plows, bolts, horse-shoes, wag- 
ons, buggies and a thousand and one other things, are 
all manufactured b^' machinery cheaper than we can 
make them ourselves, and must be purchased with the 
products of the farm. Can we do this and farm ])oor 
land? Under these circumstances can we educate our 
children and fit them for society with those of other 
classes? And are we doing it? How many farmer's 
children attend the summer school? How many have 
time to attend the four months term of free sehool dur- 
ing a three months winter? Frequently they are kept 
at home a month in the fall to gather in the products 
of that skinny farm, and again in the spring they are 
taken from the school anothei- month to go to skinning 
for another skinny crop. How long is this to continue? 

Cotton cards, spinning wheels and hand looms are 
things of the past and oui* system of farming ought to 
have gone with them. Thei'e is but little difference in 
the average southern farmer so far as profits are con- 
cerned, and the man who would set up a factory, by the 
purchase of a hundred cards, wheels and looms, and hire 
a hundred women to work them. As with the farmer, 
so with the factory man, some merchant Avould have to 
"run him." 

As with the aid of machinei'v and improved tools the 
capacity of man is doubled , so to keep abreast of the ti mes 
ought not the capacity of our acres be doubled? For 
how are we benefited with the use of tools wherewith one 
man can do the work that required two to ]x^rform ten 
years ago, if our acres produce only one half as much as 
they did then? Without the use of commercial fertili- 
zer, is not this just about the case? Knot why have we 
retrograded ? 

Let us make a comparison. A rich farm will pi'oduce 
fifty to one hundred bushels of corn per acre; twenty to 
forty bushels of whea t ; one to three bales of cotton ; 



FEWEIJ ACRES, WITH A SYSTEM OF IMPROVEMENT. -J 

fifty to one hundred bushels of oats ; clover and grass 
in abundance; other crops in proportion. Its soil is 
easily worked, retains moisture and is drought proof. 
The crop is encouraging to look upon, encouraging to 
work, and best of all it fills the cribs, smoke-houses and 
barns ; and pleasure, plenty and profit, are reaped from 
its culture. 

Mor is this all; the premises put on an inviting ap- 
pearance; the buildings are all in first class order; the 
yards are beautifully grassed and sliaded ; the proprie- 
tor is cheerful and gay ; the wife is happy, not overwork- 
ed and looks as tidy as the premises ; the children are 
being educated and fitted for society and the various 
pursuits of the world, and happiness supreme reigns in 
this home. 

A poor farm will produce five to fifteen bushels corn 
per acre; four to six bushels wheat; one third bale cot- 
ton ; oats too short to cut at all ; clover and the grasses 
unknown ; other crops in proportion. It's soil dries out 
quickly, bakes, is hard to work, will not stand drought, 
the crop presents a ghastly picture, is discouraging to 
work, and the profits of such a farm — hard times— are 
reaped by a majority of Southern farmers to-day. In 
the name of common sense how long is thisto continue? 

Now friendly farmer, these are true pictures; drawn 
by a practical and expoi-ienced artist — a farmer; the one 
a beautiful thing — a superb painting? not overdrawn, 
but a fair representation of what each farm, large or 
small should be all over this beautiful laud. 

The other a familiar picture, needs no description and 
can be seen from the front door of a large majority of 
the farmers all over the South. 

With these farms compare yours. Does it stand with 
the poor one? Make it richer. Between the two? Make 
it richer. With the rich one? Make it richer. Let your 
watchword be— Improve the Farm. With this laro-e 
crops will follow as a natural consequence; with large 



10 FEWER ACIJEK, WITH A SYSTEM OF IM FKOVEMENT. 

crops, cheap crops; with clioap crops, ])i-ofitable crops; 
and with profitable crops, ]jros])erity and independence. 

Yon may talk abont the rate per cent, we pay for 
what we bny, even at these enormous time prices which 
are rninons and from which tlie country lias suffered so 
much, but they sink into comparative r.othingness when 
compared to the cost of products laised on a rich farm 
or on a poor one. 

For instance: The products of an acre in corn at 
fift^' cents per- bushel, <^ro\vn on land that produces 
forty bushels per acre, is worth twenty dollars. ( )n land 
that produces ten bushels per acre, hve dollars. 

But what did it cost ? If the forty bnsliels cost twc^ity 
dollars, did not the ten bushels also? 

What ! two dollars per bushel!! Who ever heard of 
such "time prices?-' Yet these very pric(!S are paid to- 
day, in advance at that, by men who cultivate such 
farms, if not in money, in its equivilant — time and labor, 
and the sooner they learn that this is money, the better 
for them. Can't you see? 

On what does the farmer base his calculations when 
he pitches a crop? Other thinj^s being equaJ, is it not 
on the fertility of the soil ? Then is it not a very foolish 
thing to cultivate four acres for what one can be 
made to produce with the extra labor that it I'equiresto 
prepare and cultivate the thi-ee extra acres? 

Is not perminent improvement th<^ all-important thing 
to successful agriculture ? Is there any other remedy 
for our condition? Can legislation help us? Not unless 
it pensions us. If the middle men wf^re all driven into 
the sea, would that better our condition? Some of us 
could not run another year. Or if Jay Gould with all 
the capitalists were reduced to poverty and rags would 
that nuike us rich? Not unless they would give us some 
of their old clothes. 

What matter it if these are all for us or against us, 
are we not architects of our own fortune? Av.d did we 



FEWEIJ ACHES, WITH A SYSTEM 01<' IMPROVEMENT. 11 



not how them out with our own hands? Then why lay 
tlio bhTuie to any other cause? Let us make the best of 
our lot and try to improve it, for if we have made no 
mon(^y, we liave learned an important lesson from that 
best of teachers — experience. 



FARMING IS A SCIENCE. 



Farming is a science, and that true farming tends to 
the permanent improvement of the soil, and any system 
that disregards it sooner or later will fail, though it be- 
gins with a rich farm. 

A farm will no more live as a paying thing without 
feed than a horse ; the only difference you feed ahorse 
one thousand and ninety five times a year and a farm 
will make out on one square ration. This it must have 
or like the horse on short rations can only perform 
short duty. 

In short, farming is feeding the farm for what it will 
produce; for, other things being equal, in proportion 
as you feed it, in that proportion will it feed you. 

Then : Feed thy fai*m and thy farm will feed thee, is 
no less true than, "Keep thy shop and thy shop will 
keep thee" or vice versa. 

Just so true as that many acres with a hap hazzard 
system has reduced our farms and brought us fo our 
present conditon, just so true it is that 

FEWER ACRES, WITH A SYSTEM OF 
IMPROVEMENT, 
a thorough system tending to the permanent improve- 
ment of the soil, must build them up and advance our 
condition. Nothing else has reduced us, nothing else 
can elevate us. We are poor in consequence of their 
reduction, and can onl}' advance as their condition is 
advanced, or remain poor with them. There is no other 
remedy. Stick a pin here. 

Other tilings being equal, farming 3aelds a profit in 



12 FEWER ACRES, WITH A SYSTEM OF IMFKOA'EMENT. 



])roportion as tlie farm is I'ioh or a loss in proportion as 
it is poor. This bein^:,' true 1 dopin ir unnecessary to 
take up fnrtlier time in the discussion of onr condition : 
for should there be any who mit>l!t differ with me as to 
the cause, it is believed that all will a<i,Tee with me as to 
the remedy. 



WORKING FORCE AND ACREAGE ADJUSTED, 
WITH A VIEW TO THE PERMANENT IM- 
PROVEMENT OF THE SOIL. 



This suggests at once to every intf^lligent farmer that 
the number of ai'able acres of each farm must be adjus- 
ted to the working force — laborers, stock, toob etc., to 
cultivate and feed it, otherwise if the farm is too large 
tor the force, like a horse on half rations the farm will 
grow poorer and ultimately refuse to yield a profit to 
it's owner. 

Everything has a capacity beyond which it cannot go. 
A man can do so much, no more. A horse with a suffi- 
cient immber of laboreis can cultivate so much, no 
more. But cultivation is not all of farming. The farm 
must be fed — improved. This requires labor— man la- 
bor, horse labor. A farm will produce in proportion as 
it is fed, and has a manure producing capacity in pro- 
portion to the amount of stock kept on it. This re- 
quires labor at times all thi-ough the year, and should 
always be pushed to its utmost capacity, for on it de- 
pends largely the success of the farmer. 

Besides this, crops for green manuring must be sown 
at the proper time; often in the midst of the cultivating, 
season ; this requii-es time and labor and must nevei' be 
neglected, for it is the cheapest manure a farm i-eceives 
and the all important element in the building up a farm. 

Then the question naturally arises : How many acres 
can I feed ? How many acres to the horse in all crops. 

While this may vary in the different locahties of such 



FEWEK ArrJES, WITH A SYSTEM OF IMPROVEMENT. 1 ^i 



a large section of country as the whole South, because 
oi its varieo-ated soil and climate, its ease of cnltiv^ntion 
advantages of fertilization and ada])tability to ])articu- 
lar crops etc, yet for all sections there is an adecjuate 
number of acres beyond which if one goes his fnrin will 
suffer in pro])ortion to this excess. But for geniM-al 
farming the variation could l)e but littl<^ nt most, and I 
would suggest as a model : 



TWENTY ACRES TO THE HOKSE IN 
ALL CROPS, ENOUGH. 



Two horse farming being the prettiest and most con- 
venient of all others, I will here note the mode of ope- 
rating a model two horse farm offorty acres, from which 
proportions for any other size can be drawn. 

Divide the farm into six parts or fields of six acres 
each, for general crops, leaving four acres to be devoted 
to truck, etc. While it is not necessary for me to say 
that each farm should be planted to crops adapted to 
that particular section, for this we all know; but those 
crops should be selected with a view to diversity, for the 
sustinance of man and beast, the pecuniary interest and 
preservation of the farm . Therefore any particular line 
of crops that I might lay down in the model, would need 
change in the different localities. This the farmer must 
do for himself. But the important thing that I wish to 
impress, is to plant in all sections a proper diversity of 
crops, following each other under ajudiciouH system of 
rotation, that the farm may be self sustaining, both as 
regards manure and sup])lies; remembering that 

ROTATION IS IMANURE OF ITSELF 
and an indespensible pre-requisite in the economy of farm 
operations, both as regards immediate returns, and 
enriching the farm. 

No two crops require the same ingredients for their 
growth; besides this some are great exhausters of the 



14 FEWER ACJJES, ^\■ITH A SYSTEM OF IMPROAExMENT. 

soil, wliile others ai-e g-reat feeders. All cultivated erops 
are exhausters, and should never follow each other in 
succession; while on tlie other hand the uncultivated 
crops are not exhausters, yet it is necessary that every 
few years each field should be cultivated or pastured in 
order to clean it of filth etc. Hence another necessity for 
rotation . 

Then we have the feeders — the pea and the clover. 
These crops must come in for their full share in the ro- 
tation on every farm; for without them or one of them, 
it is very doubtful if a farm can be improved, and if at 
all, the process would be slow and expensive to say the 
lea;St. We can not rely on manure alone to im])rovethe 
farm, as the quantity falls far too short for the acreage, 
unless it is exclusive!}^ a stock farm, or we have access 
to livei-y stables, butcTier yards etc., and then the price 
paid and time taken to haul makes it an expensive })ro- 
cess. 

Manure is an im[)()rtant element in the production of 
croi)s, and in tlie preservation and improvement of the 
farm, and its quantity should be doubled, trippled, yea, 
even quadrupled on every farm ; yet with all this the 
quantity would be far too short for our iieeds, unaided 
by a systematic rotation of crops. Togetherthey must 
go hand in hand, and wherever so tlie farm will grow 
rich, and an era of ])rosperity will dawn u])on that farm. 
An exclusively cultivated CT'op exhausts the land in that 
it is kept clean of vegitable matter and in consequence, 
nothing is returned to the soil. I know that it is believ- 
ed \)y some that it is the continual working — the turn- 
ing and exposing the soil to the sun. While this may 
ha,vc an exhausting effect, it is as nothing in compari- 
son to the other. Any system of farming that plows 
deep and in which an abundance of vegitable matter of 
any kind is returned to the soil will improve a farm, and 
eventually make it rich. Decaying vegitable matter or 
humus is the life of the soil, and can be supplied cheeper 



FEWER ACItES, WITH A SYSTEM OF IMPKOVEMENT. 15 



throno-h a systematic rotation of crops, in wliicli rro])s 
for oreen manuring enter largely, than in any other way. 
Therefore while it is the farmer's duty to make all th(> 
mannre he can and to look after this interest with re- 
doubled energy, lie must not depend on it at a sacrifiee 
of his rotation of crops, through greed or any oth(T 
cause. For as has beini said befoi-e they are both soil 
feeders and must go hand in hand. Then we can afford 
to use commercial fertilizers and then as has been said 
before we can not do without them. For all know 
their judicious use on rich land has never been (]uestion- 
od, but acknowledged by all as a paying investment. 

A farm is a self feeding machine, and will gi-ow most 
wonderfully fat on it's own products and pay back to 
the farmer a proportionate superabundance for it, if it 
is properW treated. .No system is farming, in the true 
sense of that word, under which a farm grows poorer, 
but is rather robbery. Every farm is self sustaining as 
reo-ards manure, but it is the svstem that makes it so. 
And the system that effects this is the most im])ortant 
thing of all others to successful agriculture, and as such 
is the most perplexing question with which the intelli- 
gent farmer has to contend. 

There is no question so impoitant as: How to im- 
prove the farm ? There is nothing that i)ays better ; in- 
deed, it is the very essence of farming and the quintes- 
sence to its successful following. Therefore a systf^n 
that will accomplish this end must be adopted by evei^- 
farmer if he would succeed. To do this lie must first 
adjust his working force and acreage to each other. 
And then with a careful husbanding of all manures, and 
the proper crops ]:)lanted to follow each other under a 
systematic rotation, with deep plowing and thorough 
culture, the desired end will be accomplished — the farm 
will grow richer, and in (/onsequence, the farmer will 
prosper. 

Farmer friend, have you a system of rotation? If so 



1 G FEWER ACRES, WITH A SYSTEM OF IMPROVEMENT. 



wluit is it? If not Si), adjust yonr workino- force to your 
acres or your acres to your working- force, and, planting; 
the crojis adapted to your sectiou, try the system as 
L"iid down in niy little farm of forty acres. 

Plant one field to clovei', one to oats, one to corn, one 
to peas, one to cotton, and one to wheat. These are 
your g-eneral crops and should be rotated together. 
The remaining four acres devoted to truck etc., as fol- 
lows: One acre to sweet ])otatoes, one to ground peas, 
one half acre to sorghum, one half acre to Irish potatoes, 
one half acre to melons, and one half acre to garden. 

In your rotation let wheat follow clover ; clover fol- 
low oats ; oats follow corn ; corn follow i)eas ; peas fol- 
low cotton ; and cotton follow wheat. Thus we have a 
six shift system. That is a particular field will receive 
a particular crop every six years.. Only two crops requir- 
ing clean cultivation — exhausters ; and two strong land 
feeders — the clover and the pea. 

In some localities the division might Jieed change. 
For instance ; a crop that groes to perfection might be 
increased to the diminution of another not so well 
ada])ted to that locaHtj^; or a crop niay l)e discarded 
altogether and the acreage of others increased as the 
case may demand. For instance, in the Northern or 
mountainous sections, cotton must be discarded, otlier 
crops taking its place adapted to the locality. 

The same in other sections with wheat oats clover etc, 
but the old "stand by"— corn, by far the best of all 
crops (for the farmer suffers more in consequence 
of its shortage than any other,) will grow anywhere 
this side the Artie Eegions, and should be grown in 
abundance on every farm. It fills the crib, the granery, 
the smoke house; produces milk and butter, poultry 
and eggs; makes fine stock, and, in fact is the very 
back bone of the farm . 

The j)ea will gi'ow any where in the South, and is an 
important crop in the rotation not only for the grain it 



FEWEll ACRES, WITH A SYSTEM OF IMPROVEMENT. 17 

produces but also for the fertilizing qualities it possesses, 
and should occupy a permanent place in the rotation 
on every farm. It is a farm feeder, will grow on the 
poorest soil, and in a few years bring- it up to a high 
state of cultivation. 

Just here I will say, that in the present poor condi- 
tion of our land, clover will not grow as a paying crop, 
and the pea may occupy its place in the rotation until the 
fertilit^^ is sufficient to grow clover; thus devoting two 
fields to the pea until this is accomplished. 

Or when the farm becomes rich, the pea may be dis- 
cai'ded, clover and the grasses taking its place. In either 
instance the farm may be divided into five fields instead of 
six for general farming. But I mucli jjrefer the division 
as it is — one third of your general farming land occupied 
by feeding crops. This will insure a richer farm. Of 
course this farm only represents the arable land, and it 
is presumed that there is an orchard of two or three 
acres in the best variety of fruits, wood land to supply 
fuel and a few acres of hill land for permanent pasture. 

There should also be an acre in clover near the barn 
for soiling purposes, and an acre of rye to be used before 
clover comes in. 

These can be rotated with each other, and as soon as 
the r3^e is off, this lot may be planted in drill corn for 
cows in fall. This represents an up-land farm and it is 
presumed that if one is so fortunate as to own bottom 
lands that he will know what to do with them, and will 
divide and arrange his farm accordingly. Much of our 
bottom lands that have been considered inexhaustable 
have long ago yielded to the exorbitant exactions of an 
exclusive cultivated system, and to-day are but little if 
any better than the avei'age uplands. 

They too must bo built up, for which purpose a sys- 
tem of rotation mu.st be adopted for their special use, 
as some of the crops suited to an upland farm are not 
adapted to bottom lands. 



18 FEWER ACKES, AVITH A SYSTEM OF IMPROVEMENT. 



Divide 3' our bottom land into two plats. Plant to 
corn and oats, and rotate together ; but immediately 
after cutting your oats each year, sow to peas. In fall 
or winter, turn under your pea-sward prejjaratory to 
another corn crop. Thus continue year after year and 
your lands will grow rich. 

While this farm is cut and sliced for the average 
southern farmer, it is not to be presumed that all two 
horse farms should be the same size for reasons other 
than those already given. For one man might work 
fifty acres under the same system with more ease and 
better success than another would work forty. 

Then again a very "Go ahead man," with a num- 
ber one team (not brood mares,) and a big force, might 
work sixty. But he would always be in a stew and a 
fret, never having time to go to mill. Unless he hired 
his force, could not send his children to school, and the 
whole thing would be unsatisfactory and unenjoyable. 
Whereas a man and boy can work this little farm of 
forty acres with ease, and without the unnecessary ex- 
pense of a hired hand. 

The children can be sent to school through the sum- 
mer as well as winter and the most desirable object of 
all accomplished. The children educated and the farm- 
ing world on the high road to prosperity and intelli- 
gence. This it will lead to, and until this is accomplish- 
ed we will have hard paddling to keep our heads above 
water. But hj combined effort and strict attention to 
business under an improved system, with our children 
in the schools and being fitted for society with those of 
other classes, we will soon begin to command respect; 
and the next generation will be an age of educated far- 
mers. Cut this country up into such farms, and who 
can doubt the assertion? What imagination can even 
grasp at the condition of things then? Who would be 
the underlings, and what class would be the controlling 
power in this country? Ah! tlien our impositions will 



FEWER ACRES, WITH A SYSTEM OF IMPROVEMENT. 19 

have passed away one after auotlier. For as we have 
become more intelligent the forces that were arrayed 
ao-aiust us are broken and gone, and the very powers 
that oppressed us will seek our counsel. Educated far- 
mers will represent us in our Legislature and in our Na- 
tional Congress, and thousands will be able to stand up 
for our rights and defend our cause at all times and un- 
der all circumstances. This is no idle fancy but a solid 
reality, that is sure to grow out of the system. And 
this is as it should be. For why should not the farmer 
be educated ? Why should not the rural districts be dot- 
ted with comfortable school houses, and showy acade- 
mies and colleges? Why should not our homes be 
beautified and their surroundings made attractive? 
Why should not the farm itself be a thing of beauty to 
catch the gaze of the weary traveler's eye as he passes 
the way? And last but not least, why should not the 
farming class — the class that feeds the world and the 
source from which all wealth is derived — that deals with 
Nature and whose business is as it were in copartner- 
ship with Nature's God, be equal to that oi any other 
class mentally, morally, socially and materially ? 



THE CULTIVATION OF CROPS. 



That the benefits to be derived from the system of ro- 
tation may more readily be seen, we will presume that 
this is the second year and will enter upon the mode of 
preparation and cultivation of crops. 
THE CORN CROP. 

As corn follows the pea crop, and knowing the benefits 
of the pea as a feeder of the soil, it will be a pleasant 
task for the intelligent farmer to prepare the land for 
this crop. 

In fall or winter break eight or ten inches deep with 
two horse turn plow, turning under everything that was 
left on the land by the pea, and the deeper the better, as 



20 FEWER ACRES, WITH A SYSTEM OF IMPROVEMENT. 

there is no plant in our catalogue that requires deeper 
breaking than corn, especially on upland for which this 
mode is intended. In lact it is the only way we can 
raise it successfull}^ Deep breaking is a preventive 
against drought, the greatest drawback on upland corn. 
Harrow two or three times previous to planting, and 
if land is level, lay off each way rows three to three and 
one half feet apart, or wider according to fertility of 
soil. The furrow in which you drop the corn, lay off 
with two horses to ten or twelve inch shovel plow, or an 
eight inch shovel with a ten or twelve in(ih following in 
same furrow, with one horse. This is done to get a 
deep clean furrow in order to get the seed as deep in the 
ground as possible, the nearer the hard pan below, the 
better. 

To fertilize with stable manure or compost, drop a 
handful in furrow on each side of hill ; with guano or 
phosphate alwa,ys drill in the row, as then the plant will 
feed on it even until the vei-y ear is made. Cover lightly 
with double shovel plow on which are two very small 
short bull tongues. This leaves the surface of the 
ground that covers the corn if ])roperly done three to 
five inches lower than the general surface; which is the 
very thing 3^ou want for an easy time working, and a 
prevention of drought. First working use two horse 
harrow running with the I'ows in which the corn was 
planted. This will work just enough dirt to the little 
corn to cover all vegetation that may have started, not 
even scratching out a single stalk, leaving the corn 
still a few inches bejieath the general surface. Next 
working, use side cultivator the same direction as before, 
which will again work just enough dirt around the corn 
to hoe the cro]), covering vegetation etc., still leaving 
the plant below the general surface. 

Continue with the cultivator at short intervals until 
laid by, which should be at least four times in all, when 
the last workino; will find the arourxl level, in fine con- 



FEWEK ACItES, WITH A SYSTEM OF IMPUOVEMENT. 21 

dition to stand drou.o'ht and in the very best condition 
to receive the next crop. Under this mode of cultivation 
there is ni) use for a hoe in the field , except to ch op 
briars, sprouts, etc., as the cultivator if run at regular in- 
tervals effectually' works every hill and if not kept out 
too long at a time, scarcely a sprig of grass can be seen 
in the field in the fall. There is but one system to woi-k 
corn, and that is the dirting system— a continual work- 
ing dirt to it ; but that end is accomplished in two ways 
— dirting up or dirting down. The one is to plant in 
shallow farrow and continually dirt up with twister or 
turn plow ; the other is to plant in a deep furrow and 
continually dirt down with very hght cultivatoi'. The 
one the ridge system, tlie other the level system. Each 
has its advantages in the different soils. In low bot- 
tom laud the ridge system, but on uplands the level sys- 
tem always; and should be adopted by every farmer who 
cultivates upland smooth enough on whicli to use the 
side harrow. The harrow- is a five tooth implement and 
if properly made will thoroughly clean the land and 
sweep a row at a round. 

Another mode for planting is to bed laud as for bot- 
tom, and then plant in water furrow ; a very good mode 
except that the plant will not start off as fast in a poor 
water furrow, but will come in on the "home stretch." 

Anotherstill ; especially whereground was broken early 
and has become grassy before planting, is to bar off" 
your laud with twistei' or turn plow, leaving an imagi- 
nary row and completely covering up the middles, then 
with an eight or ten inch shovel break out this imagina- 
ry row and drop your corn, covering as befoi-e. This you 
will observe requires three furrows to the row, but effect- 
ually covers and freshens up the entire field, leaving a 
deep furrow in \\hich to plant the grain, and I believe 
the very best plan to follow even in all conditons. I 
should have said above, at second working, thin to one 
stalk in the hill. 



22 FEWER ACRES, WITH A SYSTEM OF IMPROVEMENT. 

THE WHEAT CROP. 

As wheat follows clover, where the land is in condition 
in August or September, (the sooner the better,) turn 
your clover with two horse turn plow 8 to 10 inches 
deep thoroughly covering all vegetation. Near seeding 
time, (whichin this latitude is about the first of October) 
and when the land is in good working order harrow two 
or three times leaving a good seed bed to receive the 
grain ; letting the last harrowing just precede the sow- 
ing that the land may be fresh. Sow with drill, using 
100 to 200 lbs phosphate per acre, and one to one and 
a half bushels seed. Or better still, if land is level, sow 
both ways, using half amount of seed and phosphate 
each wa3'. This will insure the largest yield as the seed 
will be more evenly distributed over the land. 

If not convenient to drill and fertilize, sow broad cast, 
using same amount of seed, and harrow in or plow with 
double shovels using bull tongues. On such land as will 
grow a good clover crop, thoroughly pi^epared, and 
well put in, under either mode of seeding, a yield of 20 
to 40 bushels per acre may be expected. 
THE OAT CROP, 

This crop folloAvs corn. If you wish to sow in the fall 
which generally is best, in September or October, — after 
fodder is gathered, sow among the standing corn one 
and a half to two bushels per acre, harrowing in with 
side harrow or cultivator, running with the rows very 
close to standing corn in order that all the seed may be 
covered. If corn is in hill the harrowing can be done 
both ways ; but one way is sufficient. 

To sow in spring, sow one to one and a half bushels 
per acre and plow in nicely — very nicely. As this crop 
matures in a very short time the land must be well cul- 
tivated and thoroughly cleaned of filth etc. 

As a choice between fall or spring sowing, any condi- 
tion of land,— filthy or clean,— can be sown in fall; 
but none but the cleanest may be sown in spring. If as 



FEWER ACRES, WITH A SYSTEM OF IMPROVEMENT. 23 

a choice of evils 3^ou have to sow filthy land in spring, 
alwa^'s burn off nicely all trash. 

THE COTTON CROP. 

As soon as the wheat is cut start the plows to sow 
peas on the stubble at the rate of one to two bushels 
per acre. Plow in nicely ; if double shovel will not do 
ffood work, use single shovels and plow thoroughly. 
The better the work, the heavier the sward, and that is 
what you want to improve the land. 

During the winter — say December or January break 
deep turning under every thing thoroughly. Previous 
to planting harrow fine, after which lay off rows with 
large shovel plow three to four feet apart according to 
fertility ; the richer the land the wider the row ; deep fur- 
rows; in these drill your manure and bed on it with turn 
plow. Plant at proper time, covering lightly and just 
before the plant is ready to come out, run over with 
drag pole taking two rows at a time. This flattens the 
row on top, kills all vegetation that may have started, 
leaving the land in the finest order for the side harrow, 
which should start as soon as the plant begins to ap- 
pear above the ground. Continue to harrow at short in- 
tervals, never letting the grass appear among the cot- 
ton, remembering that you have but to stir a seed in 
the sprout to kill it, otherwise nothing short of the 
hoe will do it. 

Early thin to a stand and if the harrow passes at 
short intervals very close to the little cotton, little 
hoeing will be necessary. But woe unto you if your 
crop gets grass3^ which I have told you how to prevent, 
but if through carelessness or any other cause it does 
appear, do the best you can under the circumstances 
and help yourself, for I am at too great a distance to 
lend a helping hand were I ever so willing to do so. 
THE CLOVER CROP. 
Clover can be sown with about equal success either in 
fall or siDring, sa^^ September or March. 



24 FEWER ACUES, WITH A SYSTEM OF IMPKOVEMENT. 



While there may be some disadvantage as regards fall 
sowing- — the risk of freezing out during the* following- 
winter — yet notwithstanding this, there is a great advan- 
tage to be derived from it, in that the plant is well root- 
ed the next spring and frequently a fair crop is cut that 
season ; which rarely ever occurs with spring sowing. 
In any event your farm must be well up and in a fair 
state of cultivation before yon can grow this plant to 
any profit except as an improver of soil, and this will 
be a slow process if your land is very poor; for it is hard 
to get it to catch on poor land. Clover will make rich 
land richer and produce a paying crop at the same 
time; but land that is too poor to receive this crop had 
better be brought up with manure and the pea. 

If sown with or immediately^ after the grain, sow ten 
or twelve lbs of seed per acre and brush in with a pret- 
ty heavy brush. But if grain was sown in fall a.nd it is 
desired to sow the clover seed in the spring, sow same 
amount of seed, but harrow in with heavy two horse 
harrow; if land is hard, harrow twice. 

Cover well ; and if land is sufficiently fertile, a good crop 
may be expected. Cut for hay when % of bloom has 
turned brown. 

THE PEA CROP. 

As the pea follows cotton, the thoughtful or rather 
the brainy farmer, in August or September sowed his 
cotton field to rye, sowing Yzto % bush els per acre cover- 
ing with the cultivator running between the rows. Af- 
ter the cotton is picked, ^vhich generally is about Christ- 
mas, turn on your cows for winter pasture, and now 
look out for yellow butter, and at the very time that it 
brings a big price. 

About two weeks before you Avisli to turn for peas — 
say about 1st. to middle of April, take oil join- coavs 
a,nd let it grow, to turn under. At proper time turn 
under the rye, cotton stalks and all deep and thorough- 
ly, harrow hue, and about 1st. to middle of May sow to 



FEWER ACRES, WITH A SYSTEM OF IMPROVEMENT. 25 

peas, one to one and a half bushels per acre ; harrow in 
or plow with double shovels. Now let them alone, they 
will take care of themselves until i>'athering time, when 
I will tell you what to do further on. 

As the peas are wanted for hogs, sow the whippoor- 
will variety as they bear much better than other varie- 
ties when sown broad cast. 

But if from any cause you plant the other pea, plant 
in drills and cultivate two or three times. 
SWEET POTATOES. 



Select for this crop sandy land of medium fertility, 
rather poor, but deep soil. Break land deep in fall or 
winter ; alter which lay off rows three and a halt to four 
feet apart, deep furrow; drill heavily in this furrow 
woods mold, fence corner and barn yard scrapings, or 
any conceivable decaying vegetable matter to be found 
on the farm. On this put a light sprinkling of ashes or 
phosphate, throw on one furrow and let it lie till spring, 
or about planting time, when run through this mass 
with bull tongue plow, in order to mix, and complete 
your beds with turn plow. Do not draw up dirt witli 
hoe, but set your slips on the beds as the plow leaves 
them, continually drawing up the dirt with the hoe at 
each working until laid by, when you will find that your 
beds are high enough, and the cultivation was much 
easier than if they had been drawn up at first. 
GROUND PEAS. 

Select medium land. Prepare as for cotton, open beds 
with small bull tongue plow. Drop two "nugs" twelve 
to eighteen inches apart, cover lightly and cultivate as 
sweet potatoes. 

If desired for market a light colored sandy soil should 
be selected, as the color ot the soil has much to do with 
the color of the pea, and the color of the pea much to do 
with the price. But for hogs any color of soil will do, 
but a sandy soil preferred for any purpose. 



26 FEWEK ACIiES, WITH A SYSTEM OF IMPROVEMENT. 



MOLASSES CANE. 



Select strong land. Alluvials or bottom lands best. 
Prepare land and plant just as cotton, covering very 
lightly with a board. Work with side harrow and thin 
to hoe width one stock. Last working throw np dirt 
with double shovel. When seed are ripe prepare the 
crop for the mill. Let two hands cut cane; one gather 
a bunch in his hands, and the other with grass or brier 
scythe cut the bunch off close to the ground and throw 
on piles. 

This done cut off seed heads, and tie the stalks in bun- 
dles of convenient size to handle, tieing at both ends. 
The cane is then ready to haul to the mill. If no one in 
the neighborhood follows the business of making up the 
cane for the neighbors, let several join in and buy a 
horse mill and pan, and each make his own molasses, 
charging disinterested neighbors one eighth for use of 
mill if they wish to make. Farmers, raise your own 
molasses. It will grow any where in the south, and is 
the best paying crop for consumption on the farm that 
we can raise. The seed is worth about as much as corn 
would be, grown on the same land, and the molasses a 
clear profit. Try it. 

IRISH POTATOES. 
Select medium land, break deep, harrow fine and lay 
off rows three to three and a half feet apart, deep fur- 
row. Plant good size tubers cut into four pieces, 15 to 
18 inches apart, two peices to the hill. Manure heavily 
in the drill with well rotted stable, or better still hog 
pen, manure. Bed on this with one horse turn plow, 
and let it remain so — middles unbroken till potatoes are 
near ready to come up, when harrow crosswise Avith 
two horse harrow, reducing land to a level. When the 
plnnts are all up, cultivate with double shovel working 
a little dirt to the plants each time, until last working, 
when throw up pretty well and lay by. 



FEWER ACRES, WITH A SYSTEM OF IMPROVEMENT. 27 

ANOTHER WAY. ~ 

Check land three feet apart each way, plant three 
pieces, and manure in the hill. 

A LAZY BED. 

This is especially recommended when one is short of 
land and desires to make a big yield to the acreage. 
First break very deep ^vitll two horse plow and harrow 
fine, then rebreak with one horse plow planting in every 
furrow about 15 inches apart as the breaking goes on. 
When completed the land will be level. Cover the entire 
patch heavily— the heavier the better — with strawy 
leaves, pine tops or any available trash to be found on 
the farm, and let it alone, the potatoes will take care of 
themselves until digging time. When, go in with a plow 
and after raking off the trash, plow them up as you 
planted them, letting the hands follow to pick up the 
potatoes. By this plan I believe twenty to thirty bush- 
els could be planted on an acre. 

But do not conclude from the name that it requires 
no work to grow them this way, for you will find if you 
try it that it takes quite as much labor under this plan 
as it does to cultivate them. The great saving is in the 
land which of course is very important. Besides this, 
in extreme drought the crop will be more sure as the 
covering promotes moisture in the eai'th. 
MELONS. 

iSelect land with a, deep sandy soil. After breaking 
deep lay off rows eight feet a]iart, then place your hills 
eight feet apart in the row, by shovelling out a large 
basin shaped hole some what deeper than the breaking, 
in which put from a gallon to a peck of well rotted sta- 
ble manure, on which draw three or four hoe fulls of 
dirt, and mix thorougldy. On this mass draw up a hill 
of i)ure dirt, somewhat higher than the general surface, 
and shai)od like an inv(.'rt(vl basin. This should be done 
some weeks before planting. Dro}) your seed on the liill 
near the center and press into the ground with your fin- 



28 FEVVEK ACREH, WITH A SYSTEM OF IMPROVEMENT. 

ger, — the depth of the first joint, or barely one inch ; 
rake the holes shut, and gently pat to firm the soil. 
When up commence cultivating, and as soon as out of 
danger of bugs, thin to two or three vines to the hill. 
Cultivate frequentl,y until the vines are too large, when 
lay by. Remember never to cultivate when the dew is 
on the vines. 

THE GARDEN. 

Last, but not least conies the garden; the wife's 
farm. But a mean man is he who makes his wife work 
the garden. I had rather work a small farm than a 
garden the ordinary way — all hoe and no plow. Fiftj^ 
yards square is a very pretty size for a garden ; or bet- 
ter still forty by sixty. A garden should occupy an ob- 
long square. Run your walk through the middle length- 
wise ; and let your rows run with this walk. Plant every 
thing in rows through the garden. If one thing or crop 
will not fill out a whole row, fill out with something 
else that will need work about the same time. Plow 
every thing— onions, peas, beans, beets, cabbage, — every 
thing. You will be surprised at the hoe work it will 
save. Work the garden once a week, or better still, after 
every rain ; never letting a crust form, and your garden 
will never suffer with drought. As one crop matures 
and is used up remove the trash, re-plow, mnnure, and 
plant in something else. There should be something 
continuall.y growing in the garden . Onions can be gath- 
ered the 1st of July ; gather and plant to corn for late 
"roastneers." After gathering early roastneers, remove 
the stalks, break deeply and manure for turnips— first 
harrow fine. After digging potatoes, prepare and sow 
to turnips also. Don't be afraid of having too many 
turnips. They are good hog and cow feed. Now you 
have two strips through your garden in turnips ; leave 
one of them for "greens" or "sallet" in the spring. After 
which plant for late "roastneers." 

W^hen vou work the garden take all hands, start one 



FEWER ACRES, WITH A SYSTEM OF IMPROVEMENT. 29 

plow on one side, and the other one on the other side, and 
let the hoe hands brush it up with the hoes. The whole 
thing can be done before breakfast any morning— and 
well done. The wife will prepare you a good breakfast, 
and say thank you sir, and perhaps give you a kiss. 
Try it. 

There is a big living in a garden ; or, rather poor liv- 
ing without one. This part of the farm is too often 
neglected, especially in the country. Our town friends 
excell us in gardening. This is a result of few acres. 
The garden must be rich or made so witli manure. Each 
year it must have a heavy application. Vegetables re- 
quire the richest soil for their growth and will only re- 
spond when such is the case. Apply youi- manure dur- 
ing the fall or winter that it may rot and become more 
thoroughly incorporated with the soil. 

STOCK. 

On this farm I would keep two strong brood marcs, 
four good milch cows, a flock of sheep, a brood sow and 
ten or twelve porkers, and all the poultry I could possi- 
bly raise. 

From these I would expect to raise two colts a yi^ar, 
four calves, milk and butfer in abundance for family, 
pigs, and market, mutton and wool for family an<l for 
market, three thousand pounds of pork and chickens 
and eggs in abundance. 

THE HOG. 

For convenience of pasturing a few pannels of i)orta- 
ble fence is necessary. Run this across your clover field 
about the centre, one half to be mowed for winter feed, 
the other half to pasture. On this turn your pigs when 
the bloom begins to appear, giving them plenty of salt 
and a small feed of corn once a day. .Vs soon as th(i 
faulty fruit begins to fall in the oiT-hard, let them have 
the run to this, which alternatrd with the clover, and 
small feeds of corn each day, will keep them in fine grow- 
ing condition until the peas are ripe. After you have 



30 FEWER ACRES, AVITH A SYSTEM OF IMPROVEMENT. 

gathered what peas you need for family use and to sow 
your next year's crop, and when about one third of what 
remains in the field are ripe, turn your ho^'s on this. 
They will eat the ripe peas, never disturbing the green 
ones, but will eat them as they ripen. When this is 
eaten out, and after digging or fencing off part of your 
sweet potato patch for family use, turn your hogs on 
this ; and when they have completed their A\ork here, 
and after gathering what goobers the family might 
need, turn them on this. This done you certainly can 
kill ten or twelve head of hogs weighing three hundred 
pounds a ])iece, and that could not have possibly cost 
over four cents per pound. But if desired to harden and 
flavor meet, put in close floored pen and feed one or 
two bushels of corn pev head. 

Your sows should be managed to farrow about the 1st 
of July, giving them close attention until the pigs are 
weaned, and then giving the pigs the run to the orchard, 
corn field etc. 

This will bring them up nice thrifty shoats in fine con- 
dition to be carried over the winter. During the winter 
pasture on rye and feed well on corn, sour slops made of 
bran etc. 

THE COW. 

The cows can have the run on the clover with the pigs. 
But in case it gets short, soil them from the acre near 
the barn. When this is too old, soil from the pea field, 
and late in the fall from the drilled corn. In winter feed 
clover hay, bran, ect., and pasture on rye. Salt s^ell 
and milk clean. 

SHEEP. 

Let the sheep have the run to the permanent pasture. 
A good pasture of sliort nutritious grass, with plenty of 
pure water and shade is all they require in summer. 
Although if possible frequent changes of pasture is rec- 
ommended. In severe winter weatlier, shelter them and 
feed on hav. 



FEWER ACRES, WITH A SYSTEM OF IMPROVEMENT. 31 

CALVES AND COLTS 
can also have the run to this pasture, but in case it is 
not sufficient for all, soil them night and morning. 
Feed all slock plentifully and keep the young stock 
growing. The stock on any farm is an important 
item, but especially on this, as under the system it 
is intended for a money crop, and one of the best pay- 
ing departments of this farm, besides the advantages to 
be derived from the manure. 

Stall all stock at night except sheep and keep stalls well 
littered, and you will be surprised at the amount of ma- 
nure that can be made on this little farm. Until you get 
around with your rotation, and get your farm built up 
and a bountiful supply of humus in the soil, distribute 
your manure in the drill. After which scatter broad 
cast, and use commercial fertilizer in the drill. 

Manure never was intended to pass through a man's 
fingei's. It requires too much work and makes farming 
too bungiesome, but in the present condition of the soil 
we are obliged to apply it thus; our land being too 
poor to afford the use of commercial fertilize!'. But as 
has been said before, commercial fertilizer is a ci-eatui-e of 
an advanced age. So it is, and our farms must advance 
to it. Then we can use it profitably. Then we can not 
do without it. For it pays well, as all know to use it'on 
rich laud judiciously. Our rotation of crops and ma- 
nure products of the farm will supply the vegetable mat- 
ter or humus to the soil, and in connection with this we 
can well afford to buy fertilizer^he chemical parts. 

Put your manure out to the land fresh from the stalls. 
Never throw out to rot on a pile or in a pen and, thereby 
loose by ovei-heating or leaching by excessive rains its 
most valuable parts. 

While clover is a biennial, and will yield a paying ci'op 
on the same land for two years, I believe that it will pay 
best, especially as an imjjrover of the soil, to turn each 
year and sow another field ; thereby passing it around 



32 FEVVEll AGUES, WITH A SYSTEM OF IMPROVEMENT. 



more frequently in the rotation and as a result improv- 
ing your farm the faster. Let it follow in the rotation 
each year just as any other crop. 



THE SYSTEM— HOAV TO ADOPT— ITS PROFIT. 
Will it enrich the farm ? This is the first question to 
be asked by the entelligent farmer ; but the same brain 
that propounds the question, after a mere glance at its 
workings, answers: It will. But says one, in the pres- 
ent poor condition of my farm, how can I adopt it? 
How can I make the start? So few acres will not feed 
me, much less yield a surplus. This depends largely on 
the man. There is an old adage that says : ''There is 
more in the man than there is in the land," and it is no 
less applicable to this case than an}' other, but rather 
more so. For now you are entering upon high farming 
—brain farming. Farming upon business principles- 
building u]) the thing that feeds you and thereby in- 
creasing her capacity to yield up the rich things so 
bountifully stored in the bosom of a rich farm. 

Then do not think that because your farm is small 
you will have little to do, and in consequence reap little; 
for the very first year with a timely start and well di- 
rected labor, judiciously applied, your little farm will 
yield quite as much, if not more, than twice as many 
acres under tlie skin system. 

Your acres being few you will have time to thor- 
oughly prepare, thoroughly manure, and thoroughly 
cultivate. For a few ^ears at least your guano bill 
can be dispensed with altogether, Y^our attention 
given to the nmking of manure, your little crops can 
all be manured in the drill, and each acre made to pro- 
duce at least, double what it did before— and that less a 
guano bill. 

Another says I run a two, four, or six horse farm. 
I have to mortgage my crop for srq)plies on which to 
live while I am making it. My supply bill is large. I 



FEWEll ACRES, WITH A SYSTEM OF IMPKOVEMEA'T. 33 



must cultivate many acres in order to meet it. To tliia 
I say reduce your supply bill by selling some of your 
stock, and running on the money for a year and get 
down to your right capacity. If you can't run a six 
horse farm successfully, trim down to a four horse farm ; 
and if you can't run that trim to two, and if you can't 
]-un that trim to one; get down to what you can man- 
age (or rather u])) for I had rather run a one horse farm 
and pay as I go under a system of improvement, than 
a six horse farm under the old skin and credit system. 
"A word to the wise is sufficient."' The start can be 
made. 

WILL IT PAY? 



Ill th.(Uong run it will for it enriches the farm. Rut 
can I live and make money on this little farm? Your 
] )ro fits will inci'ease year after year. The only trouble 
yon will have is to get over the first year. Let us see 
wh.i.t can be done as regard .s this. 

^\'ith a strong team and following the instructions as 
heroin laid down, the products of every acre can be 
doubled as to the yield under the old sytfnn. 

Then of corn we may expect 30 bushels per acre, 180 
bushels ; of wheat we may expect 15 bushels per acre, 
5)0 bushels; of oats we may expect 30 bushels per acre, 
180 bushels; of cotton we may expect three fourths of a 
bale per acre, 4 bales; peas, sweet potatoes, goobers — 
l)ork, 3,000 Itis; two colts worth foO.OO apiece, flOO.; 
foitr calves worth 15 00 apiece, 120.00; eight hundred 
])Ounds of butter worth twenty cents per pound, flGO. ; 

Now leaving all grain crops, one thousand pounds of 
])ork and four hundred ])ounds of butter, to run the 
farm the next year, let us see what is left. 

(Jotton -IPIOO.OO. 

Two thousand lbs of pork 0' 7 cents 140.00. 

Two colts at 150.00 each,.., 100.00. 

Four calves at |5.00 each, 20.00. 



Fcwi^n AciJKS, AVirri a s^vsthm of imi'kovemext. .34 



Four liundred lt),s of butter Oi 20 cents. 



80.00 



Total $500.00. 



FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS!! 



Thr^ rei-y fii'st year, to say nothing" of the profits of 
poultry, eji'Lis, iimtton, wool, and four to six lunidred 
])ounds of ])0]-k that should be made from the waste, 
slops, ete., from every farmer's kit(;heu. ilesidcs the im- 
provement of the farm, which in itself is the most im- 
jjoitaut of all as under the system each year these prof- 
its will be increased and ultinmtely our farms will j^row 
lich, our c'lildren will be educated and thefa]-niino- world 
on the hi,i;'h road to ])ros[)erity and intcllectnai su- 
premacy. 




LIBRARY OF CONGRE^^^" 

Q00^773^S71 ... 




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